Beadle's Dime Library No. 364 — page 20: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

a ee —— a 20 ‘‘Now, my man, you say that the lieuten- aut and Darrell seemed friendly er “Oh, yes, miss, perfectly so. “That man Darrell i is playing a bold and desperate game,” muttered Madge, and then hie added, as she turned away, and stood gazing listlessly over the waters: ‘‘I know his intention is to give Noel Brandvn up and claim a large reward for so doing, and doubtless gain his revenge too upon him, after what I have heard from Sam of the feud between the two when they were boys. ‘Well, I'll not spare canvas on the Blue Bell, and she must not let. the Madcap run into port too farin her lead, for once Noel Brandon is a prisoner on board a vessel of war, it is useless to attempt to save him, and his death at the yard-arm will quickly fol- low. ‘Tf I believed Noel Brandon guilty, even, I would wish 1o save his life; but I cannot, I will not believe that he is an assassin and a robber. ‘‘No, he cannot be that,’ quivered as she spoke. And on, over the blue waters, driven by a ten-knot breeze, the Blue Bell sped. Gaspard looked at the canvas spread, and then at her lee rail under water half the time and said: ‘‘ You are driving her hard, miss.” ‘*She must stand it,” fg She is pressed down low to leeward, miss,’ ‘Then get ballast to windward, and all of you sit upon the windward rail,” was the re- rly. my This order was obeyed, and the sloop kept upon a more level keel, yet still staggered under the canvas she carried. But Madge felt that the Madeap had had a long start and was a fleet craft, and must be overhauled before reaching port if possible, so she took the chance of losing the mast to hold cn. Soon after darkness fell, the Blue Bell swept like a race-horse into Portland harbor, and bidding Gaspard and Sam take her skiff, and Melmer and two of the strange crew to go in the sloop’s boat and search the lower harbor, Madge kept on in the vessel up to the end of the haven, closely examining every craft they drew near, But the Madeap was nowhere visible, and putting back she swept on down the harbor, to pick up first the sloop’s boat and then her skiff, and to hear the same report from those in them. ‘I think yonder schooner-of-war is sus- picious of us, miss, for I heard her officer call out toa middy going ashore in a boat to tell the captain to come right off, as the stoop was behaving in a very suspicious way.’ ‘* Well, we will have to outrun her, that is all, should she give chase. ‘‘ Here take the helm, and cut corners close to get out to sea, while I take a look at the schooner,” and Madge relinquished the tiller to Gaspard, while she raised her glass and bent it upon a graceful little schooner-of-war that lay anchored in the lower part of the harbor. As she looked there came a bright flash from the schooner’s side, and a round shot came flying over the sloop. ‘That is to heave-to, but I shall obey no such orders,” she said calmly. ‘*Then the schooner will come in chase.” ‘* Let her do so,’ ‘‘ She looks awful fast, miss.” ‘So is the Blve Bell,” was the quiet re- sponse, and then she added, without. the slightest show of excitement: ‘* There comes another shot.” The second shot flew far above the deck of the sloop and sunk some distance ahead. ‘She is getting on sail, Gaspard,” said Madge still. watching her through her glass. ‘‘And they intend to keep the music up, miss,” Gaspard rejoined, as shot after shot now came flying after the sloop, yet doing no damage. It could be seen that the schooner had her sails up now, and her anchor, while she forged ahead ; but yet she did not start in pursuit of the sloop. ‘“She stands off and on, thou h waiting for some one.’ he panitin doubtless, miss, which the boat went ashore for; but the officer aboard ’and her voice Gaspard, as OS SPE EL TRV) Pum ge ge ata 0h 8 Sag 2 Be ES PIE PANE. Fh OES © fer TES PART ees iy AP h nl he ie ea 2: . ese The Sea Fugitive. has the schooner all ready to come in chase, the moment her commander arrives.’ ‘‘Yes, he is in earnest—ah! she sends a broadside after us,” and Madge coolly watched the effect of the shots. But the distance was now too great, and the iron messengers fell short. ‘‘ Well, we are out of range, and soon will be out of sight, so I hope “the commander will not come off for some time, for in half an hour we will be so far ahead he will not know whether we have gone up or down the coast, or out to sea,” and Madge devoted her attention now to getting everything out of the sloop that could be made, and the grace- ful craft went along as though she was fully conscious of all that was depending upon her. After rounding Cape Elizabeth, and getting the brisk breeze fairly on her port quarter, the Blue Bell flew along like a frightened bird, while her crew looked anxiously at her vast spread of sail, expecting each moment to hear the snap of her slender mast. CHAPTER XXIX. THE MADCAP’S ARRIVAL IN PORT, So rapid did the Blue Bell, under her tre- mendous spread of sail, drop the harbor of Portland astern of her, that when the schoon- er’s commander, called from a festive scene of enjoyment on board, by the loud pealing of his guns, did reach his deck and head his pretty craft seaward, the suspicious-looking sloop had vanished. Whether to go on out to sea, to run down or up the coast, the schooner’s commander did not know, for not a vessel was near whose skipper he could question regarding the Blue Bell’s course. It would be too late to rejoin the festivities upon his return, and having given up his pleasure, and lost the suspicious sloop, he was in no enviable frame of mind, and gave orders to cruise aJong the coast until dawn, hoping that he might sight the little fugitive vessel. In the meantime the Blue Bell was bowling swiftly along on her course for Boston. [ will now return to the httle sloop Mad- cap, after her daring sailing-master had got- ten rid of Tap-room Tom, as he believed, kill- ing him with a pistol-shot. Noel Brandon exerted himself to take the helm for awhile, and thus Darrell got some rest; but with the wind blowing fresh and the sea running high, the w ounded sailor found it no easy task to steer the vessel, and he was forced time and again to call upon Darrell, for crippled as he was, he could do but little. The provisions brought from the cavern, were all they had on board, and these soon ran short, s0 the voyage turned out just what Darke Darrell had feared that it would, a very hard one. He did think of making Portsmouth, but concluded he had better stand on for Boston, for there he knew he would find the Scorpion and could deliver his victim, for such Noel mnapees really was, up to Lieutenant May- nar So on he held, and after a hard run, reach- ed an anchorage i in the harbor of Boston be- fore dawn the second night after leaving the Kennebec. Darrell knew the harbor well, and he sought an out-of-the-way place, dropped an- chor, and sought the rest he so much needed. He did not anticipate any trouble, as he knew that Noel Brandon locked upon him as befriending, not betraying him. ‘‘In the morning, leftenant, I will go ashore and hunt you up good quarters, and to-morrow night you can be moved into them, for it would not be safe to go by day- light, he said to Noel Brandon, as the yacht was cliding up the harbor through the dark- ness. ‘*T thank you, my man, and I will reward you well; but I am the more surprised at your kindness toward me from the fact that I at least recognize just who you are.’ “Tndeed! and who am I, Lieutenant Bran- don?” ‘““You are Darke Darrell, and we were boys together.” ** I need not deny it, sir, for we were.’ * You were not fr iendly toward me ne Darrell, and you attempted my life, so I now wonder ai your saving it,” ‘‘That was in the past, sir, lonstara st ima ielecaathrmalestt reste sctiaas oheacc i" Phat ad ty tie hak: Te Gaeta oan now I say let it rest. ‘“‘“The truth was you were rich, and I poor, and I hated you for the difference it made in our lives. ‘““Then I was a wild, reckless fellow, and went wrong; but I have been knocked about the world of late until | have gotten some sense, and the result of it all is, that I have changed my ways. ‘lL love gold, and I get gold for serving you, and that is why I act as I do, perhaps, rather than from friendship.” ““You are frank, at least; but who gives you gold to serve me?” ‘‘ Madcap Madge | of course.’ ‘‘This is strange.” ‘*'You know best her motives, sir.’ ‘‘But I shall pay you, sir, Buns: of per- mittin you to receive money from her. hat did she promise you?” ‘One thousand dollars, and the sloop to sel] for myself.” ‘Ah! I will give you the amount, and as the sloop is hers, buy it from you and pay your price, for | may need just such a craft. ‘In the mean time I will engage you to take care of the craft until I am able to be about.” “‘ Agreed, sir; and I hold the sloop at fif- teen hundred.” ‘‘Here is the money,” and the victim counted out, from a Jarge roll of bank-notes, the stated sum, and handing it to Darke Dar- rell, said: ‘* Now sign me a receipt in full for your service money and the sloop’s price,” and taking up a quill and ink-horn that were in the vessel, he wrote what he wished Darrell to sign, With a strange look upon his face Darke Darrell took up the pen and without glanc- ing at the receipt signed it by the light from the cabin companionway. Then he said: ‘‘Here we are at the anchorage, sir, and we will soon be able to rest,” and he Juffed sharp, dropped anchor, lowered sail, and then turne din, as 1 have before stated, utter- ly worn out. The sun was high in the heavens when he awoke. Noel Brandon had been awake for some time, and was suffering with his wouud; but he would not disturb his shipmate, knowing how tired he was. ‘Well, Darrell, you have had a good sleep,” he said. “Yes, and I needed it: but now to go ashore and get some breakfast, for I’m hun- gry and | know you are,’ ‘Tam, but my wound pains me, and I'll just ask you to dress it.’ A frown crossed the face of Darrell, but he did as asked and then sprung into the skiff and rowed ashore. He was gone perhaps an hour, and then returned with a tin kettle containing a good meal, and which Noel Brandon ate with con- siderable relish. It was now afternoon, and telling his vic- tim he would look him up a good stopping- place the seaman departed once more for the shore. His first duty was to find the Scorpion, and this he soon accomplished, her anchor- age not being very far distant. It was three o’clock when he boarded her, and he was told that Lieutenant May- nard was at dinner. ‘‘T’ll wait his pleasure,” he said to the middy. ‘‘I do not know whether he will see you, for he’s not in a pleasant humor toward you, after the way you fooled him up in the Ken- nebec.”’ ‘‘He'll find that he was the one deceived, and that I knew what I was about. ** Just tell him, please, that I am on board awaiting his pleasure.” The middy obeyed, and soon returned with nies that his commander would see im Entering the handsome cabin of the Scor- pion, Darrell found Lieutenant Maynard seated at the table with Ray Raymond and Leo Lauderdale. They had finished their dinner and were smoking and chatting pleasantly. ‘* Well, sir, what brings you here?” he asked sternly. ‘*To see you, sir, upon an important mat- o : milgbooks sede) (co 3